Post by Dave on Aug 30, 2024 9:49:08 GMT
Match Referee Mark King
Referee Assistants Andy Distin & Cian Bolton
Referee Assistants Andy Distin & Cian Bolton
Final Score Stoke & Torbay Police 2 Elburton Villa 2
Match Preview
I will soon be seventy years old and that does not bother me one bit, simply because millions of people would have liked to have lived this long. A lifetime of highs and many lows, but one thing has always been constant in my life since I was seven years old, football.
A game that has given me so many highs and wonderful memories to look back on, but also times when I sobbed like a baby, for example when Torquay United were first relegated from the football league.
As a very young boy and the club mascot for Newton Abbot Spurs I saw first hand all the hard work people were prepared to put in to keep their club alive and the best it could be.
All done for the love of the game and nearly always for free, grassroots football is the real heart of the game and kept beating by so many wonderful people.
I have recently spoken about the passion, hard work and dedication put in by all those who run the Stoke & Torbay Police club. For me personally it is a real pleasure to attend their home games, it just feels so bright and positive there.
While so many ground improvements have taken place, I do feel the first team is still a work in progress. It is so nearly where it needs to be and I am sure the team manager knows all the areas that the team need to improve in. With the forward thinking of this club I believe the day will come when they move up to the Western league.
The Bees have already had to face the top three clubs in the league in their first five games this season. While away to Sidmouth Town and the league leaders Cullompton Rangers they suffered heavy defeats, they were unlucky at home not to get a share of the points against third placed Okehampton Argyle.
On Tuesday evening the Bees were beaten at home by two goals to one by Newton Abbot Spurs and as a result have only one win to show in their opening five games, a four nil win over Teignmouth.
The Bees have been scoring regularly but have conceded five more goals so far and that is something that really needs to be worked on. Elburton put eight past Bovey Tracey on Tuesday evening which greatly surprised me after covering Bovey’s last two home games which they won.
I have only even been to Elberton’s home ground once; it was a preseason friendly against Buckland Athletic many years ago now. It is a great ground and the club recently built a brand new club house. I have covered a number of games featuring their reserve team played in the South Devon league; I have found the club always willing and helpful as far as the team sheet goes.
Elburton come into the game in 4th place in the league table on nine points. They have played a total of four games winning three of them and suffering one defeat at home against Newton Abbot spurs by two goals to one. Last Saturday they knocked Street FC who is currently in 4th place in the Western league out of the F A Vase by three goals to two. A wonderful result as Street was the home club.
This is going to be another big test for this Bees side, Villa are in fine form and on paper looks the most likely side to win the match. But as we know anything can happen in any game and I am sure the Bee players will do all they can to make the three points on offer theirs.
May the best team win.
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Match Report.
The Bees manager can be very proud of his players today; I would go as far to say it was one of their best performances I have witnessed. It was a complete performance that showed so much character especially when they went behind in the second half. Man of the match? Each and every Bees player deserved that today.
I have to be honest and say before the start of the game I thought the Bees would do well to avoid a heavy defeat. Villa put eight past Bovey Tracey in the week and knocked Western League side Street out of the FA Cup last weekend and scored four goals in the process.
When you take the lead so early in a match the other side has so much time to turn things around. Stoke took that early lead and the only surprise was they did not add further goals in the first half. They were far the better side, so much possession of the ball but could not find that second goal. Villa had a great spell in the last fifteen minutes of the first half and got their reward with a goal in the forty third minute.
I do not know if it is a new requirement but both team sheets only have initials for the players first names so will have to go with that in my report.
The match referee got the game underway and the Bees to my surprise were soon one nil up. J. Aldous got a shot away inside the Villa box that hit the right hand post, B. Aldous was there to fire the rebound home, it was a goal that shocked the Villa players.
Villa won the first corner of the game that ended up being headed wide of the right hand post. At this stage I was very impressed with how the Bees were playing and they then won their first corner of the game but nothing came from it.
The Bees L. Robinson took a low shot from the edge of the Villa box, but it lacked any real power to worry J. Peters who was in goal for Villa. The Bees were clearly on top and battling for every ball and looked the more likely of the two sides to score the next goal.
Great work down the left hand side by Bees L. Roberson earned his side their second corner of the match, but nothing came from that either.
Villa won two free kicks out on the left hand side, but each time the ball into the Bees box were not good enough and the balls ended up going behind the right hand side of the goal for Bees goals kick.
B Aldous hit a good low twenty yard effort that just went wide of the left hand post. The Bees then conceded what I thought was another needless free kick just out side the left hand side of their box. The ball eventually came to C. Merrin who got a shot away at goal that was defected behind for a Villa corner.
Villa had a good chance to get back onto level terms when a good ball was fired into the Bees box from the left hand side. G. Photiou rose well but his header went wide of the right hand post. The Bees were still looking for that second goal; L. Robinson was played in just inside the Villa box and got a curling shot away that just cleared the crossbar. J. Down played a good ball into the left hand side of the Villa box to J. Thomas who fired his effort high over the crossbar.
Villa then slowly stated having more of the ball but at this point the Bees defence were standing strong. But the pressure on them was growing and I thought it was only a matter of time it would pay of for Villa. With two minutes of the first half remaining Villa were back on level terms. A low ball into the box was met by J. Alexander who seemed unmarked and he fired a low shot just inside the left hand post.
The referee blew up for halftime and the big question for me was how would the Bees players respond after losing their lead. The second half got underway and Villa carried on where they left at the end of the second half.
The weather changed a bit it was now rather dull and cloudy and feeing a bit colder. Villas C. Merrin was played clean into the Bees box with just the keeper to beat but the Bees keeper pulled off a fine blocking save.
The Bees were able to get the ball into the left hand side of the Villa box, but B. Aldous hooked his shot wide off the right hand post. The Bees E. Simson who was treated just before for an ankle injury had to go off and was replaced by C. Barber.
Villa once again had another golden opportunity to take the lead in the match. C. Merrin was played in again and saw his effort again saved by a great blocking save, the ball came back to him and this time he put his effort just wide of the left hand post.
The Bees were struggling to find the right pass when they were able to get forward, but the defence seemed to be coping reasonably well. But you knew Villa was going to take the lead and they did when C. Merrin’s shot hit the back of the net.
Villa were looking so good on the ball and were able to find their players a bit to easily. There was a big shout for a Villa penalty for a hand ball that was not given, but there was a hand ball by a Villa player in that build up that was also not given.
Villas J. Rundle got a shot away just out side the Bees box that went wide of the right hand post. Would Villa be made to pay for these missed chances to put the game to bed?
Well the answer to that question was yes when A. Slough who had not long come onto the field from the bench was played into the Villa box and he blasted the ball into the back of the net.
The Bees were once again making life a bit hard for themselves giving free kicks away in dangerous areas. One was out on the left hand side that was fired high close in on goal. The Bees keeper did ever so well to jump up and get the ball behind for a Villa corner.
The Bees Saul Vanes made a great turn and run down the left hand side that resulted in him being brought down, He took the free kick that flashed across the front of the Villa goal and just needed a touch to put the Bees back in front.
Villa then won what I thought was a soft free kick just outside the Bees box. C. Merrin went straight for goal but it turned out to be an easy catch for the Bees keeper. Villa then thought they had got the winning goal after more great work inside the box by C. Merrin. Two Bees defenders could not handle him and C. Merrin was able to fire the ball home only for the flag to go up for offside.
Villa were pressing hard again and a looping header from inside the Bees box by S. Hughes looked like it was going to drop inside the right hand post but it ended up on the other side of it.
That was it and for all their hard work and effort the Bees deserved their point. Villa are a good side and I am sure will end up the season close to the top of the table. The Bees face Bishops Lydeard away in their nbext game. Two weeks ago I covered their game away to Bovey who beat them by three goals to one. If the Bees play as well in that game as they did today, then the game is theirs to win.
